There are ways to monitor an ignition time with respect to knocking combustion during combustion processes of an internal combustion engine, and in the event of knocking combustion being detected to adjust the ignition angle of the affected cylinder in the retarded direction by an ignition angle offset as a measure during the next combustion process. Subsequently, the ignition angle offset is eliminated again by means of a slow adjustment of the ignition angle in the early direction. If knocking combustion occurs again before the reduction in the adjustment of the ignition angle in the retarded direction is completely eliminated to the ignition angle which is provided, immediate adjustment of the ignition angle in the retarded direction by the ignition angle offset is carried out once more. As a result of the rapid reduction in the ignition angle during the knocking event and the subsequent renewed slow approach to the knocking limit, the internal combustion engine can be operated right up against the knocking limit with an optimized ignition angle.